Folk Performances in Poorvanchal: Promoting Social Cohesion and Cultural Synthesis

Abstract

The present research paper intends to find dynamics and mechanism of folk literature and art in maintaining social harmony and integration by exposing the evils of caste schema. The socially stratified society has been constantly posing threat to peaceful coexistence, working together and living together of different groups of people in eastern U.P., also known as Poorvanchal. This paper analyses minutely thematic contents of the folk songs found in this region and tries to establish that messages conveyed in these songs are clearly for maintaining social cohesion and order. A survey of Folk performances of a particular region develops a deeper understanding of the social fabric and allows for rectification of its probable fissures. Truthfulness, vitality, fearlessness and liberty with which folk manifestations, either in written literature or in oral performances, give it a strong hold among the masses and of course a credibility that is beyond doubt. This paper dwells upon instances of such songs and performances that clearly eradicates all presuppositions of the common masses. Folk literature and art keeps itself free from the shackles of ideologies as it is composed spontaneously and for immediate reception, free from any form of caste consciousness and acrimony, free from constitutional and social stratifications of caste and creed and also free from all taboos and prohibitions which have restricted the spontaneous and natural expressions of human life in certain conditions. This aspect aims to add a new approach towards understanding of Folk performances and its use in society. Thus, the paper promises to add new vistas in already existing avenues of ideas related to Folk studies.